What is WCRI
The Workers Compensation Research Institute presents itself as an independent, non-profit research organization, founded in 1983.
The official name is written without an apostrophe: Workers Compensation Research Institute. It should not be confused with the World Conference on Research Integrity, which shares the acronym WCRI but has no connection to this institute.
Nature and mandate
Its stated mission is to be a catalyst for significant improvements in workers’ compensation systems, offering the public objective, credible, and high-quality research on important public policy issues.
The Institute itself states that it does not take positions on the issues it investigates, but rather provides information obtained through studies and data collection in accordance with recognized scientific methods. This declared neutrality is part of its institutional identity and should be respected when citing it.
The WCRI is not a public body, a regulator, an insurer, and does not administer claims. Therefore, it is inaccurate to claim that its output is open access. The Institute itself explains that members, once logged in with their username and password, can download the publication directly from the report’s page, while non-members can purchase it from the same page. There are individual reports that the WCRI offers free of charge upon request, but this is a specific exception and not a general open access policy.
Activities and resources
- Original research. Studies on major workers’ compensation issues.
- State-by-state analysis. Examination of specific state systems in the United States.
- Evaluation of reforms. Measuring the effect of legislative changes on systems.
- Dissemination to decision-makers. Presentation of results to public officials and stakeholders.
Links with experts featured in Sabentis Explore
John W. Ruser ‘s profile published on Sabentis Explore states that he chaired the Workers Compensation Research Institute between 2015 and May 2023. This relationship is historical, corresponds to a closed stage, and he is not attributed any current position in the institution.
